There are at least two common types of bicycle tire air valves in widespread use. One type is a Schrader type valve which is a reasonably rugged valve in which the valve assembly is protected by an outer casing. It is for this reason that such an air valve is commonly used on automobiles and trucks.
In an effort to reduce the overall weight of high tech bicycles, the lighter weight, yet more fragile, Presta type valves have become widely used for bicycle tire valves. Unfortunately, Presta type valves are often broken during the inflating procedure because of the leverage of the long frame pump combined with the tight fit of a press-on Presta type pump head which provides ample force to shear off Presta type valve heads. Accordingly, it has become a common problem to snap off Presta type valve stems during the inflating process. This causes the bicyclist to replace the inner tube, if one is available, often in difficult conditions on the road. If a tube is not available, or the bicyclist does not have the necessary skills or tools to change the tube, the bicycle will remain out of service until adequate repairs can be made.
To avoid snapping off Presta type valve stems, a bicyclist must hold the pump as still as possible and exactly perpendicular to the Presta type valve stem during the inflating process. This is difficult to accomplish in the field where the bicyclist often has sweaty hands and gloves.
Bicycling journals have offered advice to cyclists trying to inflate bicycle tires with Presta type valves of trying to wrap a hand around the pump head and the tire to keep the pump head seated and to reduce the chance of the pump slipping through the bicyclist.degree. s sweaty hands as the last few pounds of air are forced into the tire. Alternatives include trying to brace the wheel and pump against a tree or the ground. Care must also be taken when removing the pump head because it is easy to snap a Presta type valve stem if the pump head is detached at an angle.
Breaking a valve stem is always inconvenient and, in certain circumstances, may even become far more serious and possibly a life threatening problem.
The present invention teaches a simple, inexpensive, light weight and versatile adapter between present Schrader type and Presta type bicycle hand pumps, and Presta type valves which will tend to eliminate the above-described problems of breaking Presta type valve stems when the invention taught herein is properly used by bicyclists.